The present invention relates generally to ceramic oxygen generating modules, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for controlling a duty cycle for each of a plurality of ceramic oxygen generating modules in a modular ceramic oxygen generating system.
Several ceramic oxygen generating modules have been disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/626,794, U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,624, U.S. Pat. No. 5,985,113, U.S. Pat. No. 6,194,335, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/573,891. Although each of the disclosed ceramic oxygen generating modules produces oxygen, each module is typically limited to 0.25 liters per minute (LPM) of oxygen. Many medical oxygen applications require that a patient be provided up to five LPM of oxygen. That means that up to twenty modules may be required for a modular ceramic oxygen generating system. However, some patients may require less than the maximum required output, for example, one LPM. In a twenty module oxygen generating system capable of producing up to five LPM of oxygen, if only the first four modules were used to produce one LPM, then the first four oxygen generating modules would prematurely age and the overall life of the modular ceramic oxygen generating system would be considerably reduced. Thus, a need exists in the art for a method and apparatus to extend the life of a ceramic oxygen generating system having greater oxygen generating capacity than is required for most situations.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus to extend the life of a ceramic oxygen generating system having greater oxygen generating capacity than is required for most situations.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for controlling the output of a modular ceramic oxygen generating system.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for controlling an duty cycle of a modular ceramic oxygen generating system which is capable of partially energizing an additional module to provide flow in increments in less than the capacity of a single module.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for providing power to all the modules in a predetermined time period.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by a method of controlling a duty cycle for each of m1 . . . mn ceramic oxygen generating modules. Power is first supplied to less than n of the ceramic oxygen generating modules such that modules m1 . . . mx provide oxygen gas output. Power is then supplied to ceramic oxygen generating modules m2 . . . mx+1 which provide the oxygen gas output.
The foregoing and other objects of the present invention are achieved by an apparatus for controlling a duty cycle of an oxygen generating system, including m1 . . . mn ceramic oxygen generating modules manifolded together. A controller is electrically connected to each of m1 . . . mn ceramic oxygen generating modules. The controller is capable of first supplying power to less than n of the ceramic oxygen generating modules such that ceramic oxygen generating modules m1 . . . mx provide oxygen gas output and then is capable of supplying power to ceramic oxygen generating modules m2 . . . mx+1 to provide oxygen gas output.
Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown and described, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description thereof are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.